Neil Dungeon takes over in Midsomer Murders as John Nettles Retires from his role as DCI Tom Barnaby

John Nettles is set for an emotional goodbye from his role in the long running ITV detective drama Midsomer Murders. John Nettles has played the lead role of DCI Tom Barnaby for more than 14 years starring in over 80 episodes and in the process confirming his status as one of British Televisions best loved television actors.

John Nettles started his career as another TV detective Jim Bergerac in 1981 in the eponymously titled BBC series Bergerac. It was an immediate hit and ran for nine series until 1991 establishing John Nettles as one of the UK’s most popular television actors and also as a reluctant TV heartthrob.

However it was John Nettles next major role on television that would firmly cement his place in TV history as in 1995 he was offered the role of DCI Tom Barnaby in Midsomer Murders. The first episode aired in 1997 and proved to be a remarkable success, even surpassing his acclaim for his role in Bergerac. The mysterious macabre deaths and tongue in cheek performances from John Nettles and the rest of the cast endearing themselves to millions with the show becoming a huge worldwide hit.

February 2nd will see the airing of DCI Tom Barnaby’s final case ‘Fit for Murder’ in which, as ever, nothing is as it seems behind the well trimmed hedges of the picturesque cottages in the idyllic English county of Midsomer.

This time a rejuvenating Spa break turns out to be anything but for Barnaby and his wife, as the country hotel soon becomes a murder scene. As DCI Barnaby investigates, he also has personal matters on his mind and his upcoming birthday leads him to question where his future lies.

There have been 2 endings filmed for this final episode however suitably it seems all is going to end well for Tom Barnaby and his wife Joyce as John Nettles joked “I wanted to die in noble fashion in the service of my country and be buried in Westminster Abbey. But Tom and his long-suffering wife Joyce will simply retire”

John Nettles will hand over the responsibility for solving the continuing murders in Midsomer to Neil Dudgeon who plays DCI John Barnaby, Tom’s cousin, who has already been introduced in a previous episode helping DCI John Barnaby on a previous case.

John Barnaby moves up to Midsomer to partner DI Ben Jones, played by established Midsomer Murders star Jason Hughes and although many viewers will be sad to see John Nettles leave his role John himself thinks Midsomer will be in good hands.

John Nettles commented “It has been a joy to be involved in such a long running series, with so many good actors and great storylines. If Neil has half the good times that I have had on Midsomer then he will be in seventh heaven. I am only worried that he is much younger than I am and a much better actor!”

The DVD of the final episode “Fit for Murder” will be available to fans exclusively early from the Acorn Media UK website immediately after the show airs on the 2nd February. The final episode will also will available on the Midsomer Murders Volume 8 boxset which again will be available exclusively early.

For more information or to pre order visit the Acorn Media website at http://www.acornmediauk.com/index.php/dvd/midsomer-murders-dvd-sale.html